A Guide to Riding Your E-Bike in the Winter
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You’ve probably enjoyed riding your e-bike to the local grocery store, work, or on a long ride this past spring and summer. But now that it’s getting colder and winter is looming, you might feel tempted to put your e-bike in storage, especially if you live in a region where you can expect conditions like rain, snow, and ice.
The good news: You can keep riding your e-bike all year, as long as you make sure you’re equipped to do so. This means having the right gear—clothing, tires, and a helmet, for example—and planning ahead. Considering how fun and easy it is to ride an e-bike, these tips can keep you safe and cycling blissfully through winter.
7 Tips for Riding an E-Bike This Winter
1. Know Your Limitations
Before you head out for a ride on your e-bike this winter, take time to assess your physical limitations and the limits of your bike, especially considering not every bike is made for winter weather. If you haven’t already, read your owner’s manual to get a better understanding of how your bike will drive in winter conditions.
“E-bikes come in different packages that may be more or less suited to different terrain conditions—because of tires and torque—much like the way different cars are suited to different terrain,” says Heather Henderson, senior product manager for cycle co-op brands at REI. This means, just like a car can come equipped with all-wheel drive, your e-bike can have two-wheel, front wheel, or rear wheel drive, she adds.
One advantage to front-wheel drive is it helps pull you forward, which can help when navigating icy or snowy road conditions, especially if you have studded tires, says Roger DiBrito, physical education and bicycling education teacher who lives in Florence, Montana. The only problem with rear-wheel drive is that it may push you, potentially making your chances of fishtailing higher, he adds.
Also, consider your physical limitations in case you get stuck and have to carry or scoot the bike over certain terrain. You can lift a bike over snowdrifts and other obstacles, but e-bikes are typically heavier, which may make that more difficult, says John Allen, instructor at Cyclesavy, a program operated by the American Bicycling Education Association.
“It is also easy to put one foot down with the other foot on a pedal to stay upright and scoot forward if the snow surface is too rutted to allow riding,” Allen says. “But these advantages get compromised with the added weight of an e-bike.” Keep that in mind if you’re heading out after a snow storm.
2. Plan Your Route Carefully
Consider your route before you head out, especially in winter’s unpredictable conditions.
“Routes that typically feature bike lanes can quickly become bike-unfriendly when lanes get piled with snow, forcing cyclists into lanes with traffic where cars already have compromised traction [and visibility],” says Henderson. This is why you want to have alternate routes like a bike path, and prepare to be out longer than expected, she adds.
Also, remember snow plows sweep the roads frequently, so be vigilant, as these drivers may experience limited visibility as well. Avoid riding close to a plow, and watch out for debris they leave behind in the bike lanes if you’re riding nearby, Henderson adds.
3. Charge Your Bike Properly
Check your battery level before you head out and when you return. If you need to charge the battery, make sure you follow the instructions in your owner’s manual, as every bike is different and might require longer or shorter charging times.
When the temperature is 32 degrees or below, you should charge and store e-bike batteries at room temperature, which is somewhere between 50 and 70 degrees, says Clint Sandusky, certified bike patrol instructor, certified Cycling in Traffic expert, and writer.
You should not store batteries long-term fully charged or completely dead, but instead at 30 to 60 percent charged because storing it at an extreme can negatively affect battery life, he says. It can also be a fire hazard.
4. Keep Your Bike Clean
In winter, it’s extra important to clean your bike after every ride, especially after riding in snowy or wet conditions.
“Salt loves to eat metal, no matter the type,” says Henderson. “Also, anti-slip road treatments can be very caustic to bicycles, and cold weather can make rubber tires brittle, causing them to become more susceptible to damage.”
You also want to lubricate your chain at least every 60 to 150 miles. This will help prevent flat tires, blowouts, and prolong the lifespan of any bike, Henderson adds.
When you clean your bike, make sure you do it drivetrain up, with the motor off, so water doesn’t get into the motor, says Sandusky. Rinse it off with a garden sprayer filled with water and dish soap or a gentle degreaser indoors, if possible, so the water does not freeze, says Allen.
5. Check Your Tires
Before you head out, check your tire pressure. In the winter, your tires should be slightly lower in pressure than in the summer, as this helps you better navigate in winter conditions, says DiBrito. This will increase traction, which will come in handy when you turn or go downhill.
Also, depending on where you live, you might want to invest in a set of winter tires, particularly studded ones to help increase traction. These make it harder to navigate on bare pavement, says Henderson, so you only need them if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow.
“A tire with a very strong casing [like Schwalbe Marathon Plus] is typically what we would recommend for winter riding,” says Pablo Rivera, general manager of King Kog Brooklyn, a bike shop in New York City. These help decrease your chances of getting a flat, so you don’t get stuck.
6. Ride Carefully
Picking up speed is one advantage of riding an e-bike, but in certain winter weather conditions like snow and ice, you need to slow down.
On the road, “ride more like a turtle and less like a hare,” says DiBrito. “The turtle still gets there. So take your time, and know take offs need to be a little bit slower,” he adds.
Remember the roads can be unpredictable so be alert at all times, keeping your eyes on the path ahead, and expect your trips to take longer than normal because you will be riding slower.
Turning down your power-assist level will help you ride slower too, which is smart in snowy conditions, Sandusky says. It will also reduce “lurching,” or unexpected acceleration, so you don’t spin out.
Test your brakes before your ride, too, to gauge the level of traction you have, which will help you determine how early you have to brake around turns or downhill. Also, practice braking and using the controls while wearing your gloves, says Randy Profeta, owner of Trails End Cycle Center in Irvine, California.
When you do approach turns, “never brake in the middle of a turn. You are likely to go down if the road is slippery,” says Profeta. Instead, he suggests slowing down before entering the turn.
Also, favor your rear brake. “It is much easier to correct from a rear wheel loss of traction, which can result in oversteering, than a front tire lock-up, which will put you down in a heartbeat,” Profeta says.
Avoid flooded areas, too. Even though some e-bikes are water resistant, it’s best to avoid riding through small streams and puddles, because you could risk puncturing a tire—not to mention damaging your bike.
Lastly, never tow anything when the road is slippery because it could increase your chances of crashing if what you’re pulling slips on ice or gets stuck in snow.
7. Don’t Forget to Accessorize
A solid set of gear will help you stay warm and safe on your winter e-bike rides.
Here are some suggestions from Henderson, Sandusky, DiBrito, and Rivera on what to buy to support your rides:
Battery cover: You want to insulate your battery as the cold temperatures will reduce battery life, says DiBrito. A cover goes over the battery when you ride.
Lights: It’s important to be visible all year round, not just in the winter. A winter light can cause a twilight effect, which will make you more visible, says Henderson.
Fenders: Consider adding these to your bike, as they help prevent the rain and slush from splashing everywhere, which helps keep you dry, says Rivera.
Helmet: Every cyclist knows to wear a helmet, but in the winter, you want one that can fit a warm cap or balaclava underneath to help keep your head and ears warm, says Henderson.
Balaclava: This is essentially a ski mask that will help protect your face from wind chills as you ride at higher speeds.
Gloves: Choose a set of gloves that allow for a bit of space in the fingertips and good command of the handlebars and controls. For extreme conditions, you can use bar mitts or lobster claws, which are oversized gloves.
Socks: Wearing an extra pair of socks, or thicker socks, can limit blood flow and your ability to stay warm. This is why it’s best to wear a thin sock, with a toe or shoe cover, or water liner.
Eye protection: Goggles or sunglasses can come in handy in winter conditions when chilled air can really sting extra sensitive skin, like areas around the eyes, says Henderson.
Backup battery: For longer trips, having an extra battery can come in handy considering the cold can shorten battery life and you don’t want to have to push a heavy bike all the way home, says Rivera.
Chain Lube: The pedal assist on an e-bike makes it’s harder for riders to gauge how much dirt and grime is collecting on the bike chain, so it’s important you pick a lube that won’t promote buildup, says DiBrito. Opt for one like Silca, Rock N Roll Gold, or Squirt.
Other protection: You might also want to consider wearing a neck gaiter, water-wicking clothing, reflective clothing, or using hand warmers, all of which can help you stay safe, avoid frostbite, and increase your overall comfort levels.
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